Canelo Alvarez Wins Controversial Split-Decision Over Lara

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 12: Erislandy Lara (R) throws a left at Canelo Alvarez in the 12th round of their junior middleweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on July 12, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Alvarez won in a split decision. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Erislandy Lara wants an investigation. Canelo Alvarez wants to celebrate his 24th birthday and the fans may want pass on seeing a rematch of the split-decision victory Alvarez captured Saturday night before a sellout crowd of 14,239 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Alzarez, however, did have some problems with Cuban expatriate Lara in their non-title super welterweight bout at a 155-pound catchweight.

Alvarez (44-1-1, 31 KOs) had problems cutting off the ring, and there were times he looked amateurish in flailing at the southpaw. He never had Lara in trouble, though on judges Levi Martinez (117-111) and Dave Moretti (115-113) scored it for Alvarez, while Jerry Roth (115-113) had it for Lara (CBS Philly also scored it for Alvarez, 116-112).

“I came to fight. I didn’t come to run. You don’t win by running. You win by hitting,” said Alvarez, who won his second-straight fight after being embarrassed by Floyd Mayweather in September 2013. “He definitely has a great jab but you don’t win a fight like that by running. I wanted to leave a good taste in the mouth of my fans, so I came to fight. Lara didn’t come to fight. I’ll give him the rematch, when he learns how to fight. Right now I’m just gonna enjoy my birthday.”

Lara (19-2-2, 12 KOs), needless to say, was angry.

“I 100 percent thought I won the fight,” Lara said. “I felt I was totally in control. It didn’t seem like he was doing anything. I know one thing, 100 percent I made him look bad in front of all of his people. Everyone knows I won the fight, no matter what they say.”

According to CompuBox punch statistics, Alvarez connected on 97 of 415 punches (23-percent), which included a shockingly high 73-percent of his power shots to the body. Lara landed 107 of 386 shots (28-percent).